Allegations of R4m waste irk gender activist

Gender activist Nomboniso Gasa is up in arms over a damning public protector report accusing her of maladministration and mismanagement.

The report relates to her tenure as head of the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE), and accuses her of "fruitless and wasteful" spending of R4-million.

This was for a contract awarded to a consultancy owned by political analyst Mohau Pheko to help turn around the under-performing Chapter 9 institution.

An angry and "shocked" Gasa said this week that public protector Thuli Madonsela's report, now before parliament, was "disturbing" and "unsubstantiated". She was never given an opportunity to give her side of the story.

Madonsela reported that Gasa's commissioning of an organisation diagnosis process at the commission was a waste of taxpayers' money as it did not yield the desired results. She called on the national Treasury to investigate and act against those involved.

But Gasa says Madonsela's report "peddles rumours of the most malicious kind, without any substance or evidence being given.

"It is disappointing that an esteemed office which is supposed to protect the public actually publishes a report of this nature without due regard to the harm that may be caused," said Gasa.

"This is even more disturbing, considering I approached the public protector, made myself available and even highlighted areas that I also wished to be looked into."

Gasa, who quit the commission in April last year, said Madonsela ignored her. She said she commissioned the process in 2008 to investigate personnel and business-practice problems such as procurement policies at the CGE to help the organisation carry out its mandate properly.

Madonsela reported that R4008000 was spent on the process, yet the commission still did not have a final report on work done.

"Despite the fact that the CGE spent more than

R4-million on this project, there is no tangible result that can be of any value to the organisation to date," said Madonsela.

Gasa defended the process, saying Madonsela did not provide enough evidence for that conclusion.

A full briefing was given to then justice minister (Brigitte Mabandla). "She thought it was a good idea. She went so far as saying, 'It is so good to have institutional turnaround that is planned so carefully, I wish we could use the process for our own department'," said Gasa.

But Madonsela said Gasa's comments surprised her as she bent over backwards not to publish damning claims by staff and commissioners.

"There were more serious allegations against her that I did not publish," she said.

Madonsela said she asked Gasa for written statements during her investigation, but Gasa disappeared for a long time, only to resurface later to say she was unwell.

Pheko said she found the findings odd. "My company fulfilled the terms of the contract and improved the CGE." She said Gasa was an acquaintance and fellow gender activist. "To suggest I got the contract because of their friendship was mischievous."